'03 1500HD Idler/pitman/center link bad?

[Alex V.]

I'm getting ready to do ball joints on my FIL's '03 1500HD 4x4, looking over the rest of the suspension for anything else that needs done, and I find that, while applying force to either wheel with hands at 3:00 and 9:00 (side to side) the center link (solid bar that attached to the drag link and pitman arm, that the tie rods thread into on each end) will rotate over 1/8 turn on its joints allowing toe-in to change drastically. I'm not familiar with this front suspension system, but that seems wrong. Is the center link supposed to be held basically rigid by the drag link/pitman arm, or is it correct for it to rotate on its joints some?

[twinturboc10]

The center link should be fairly rigid. I had the same truck, and had to replace both the pitman arm and idler arm at about 75,000 miles because of the wear.

[Alex V.]

I suspected that. Thanks!